Last night, in the parterre of the Villa Bonvisi-Webb, the same villa where Byron stayed when in Bagni di Lucca, an event took place which would have delighted the great romantic poet and debaucher. It was a ‘degustazione’, or tasting, of toscani – the Italian cigar which is still manufactured in two places, one of which is in the Lucchesia – and grappa, which is a spirit distillation of wine.

The evening opened with a fascinating introduction to the toscano and the grappa. Italy is the only country in the world which is famous for three products which alleviate the tedious moments of human existence: great food, great wine and great cigars. Cuba may be famous for its cigars but not its wine, and France lacks any cigar industry.

I could go on to say the cigar produces an alkaline rather than an acid smoke which is not meant to be inhaled like cigarettes, that it is pure tobacco without cancerogenous paper (cigarettes were first invented during the Crimean war when soldiers used the paper wrappings of their cartridges and filled them with tobacco), and that the savouring of a toscano is improved by keeping it in a humidor which preserves its original moisture, that it is not to be lit with  standard cigarette lighter but with special long matches, that it is preferable not to cut it and that there are three separate phases to its enjoyment.

As I have already enough vices I kept but did not smoke the cigar offered, together with the long matches which were given to us. With the grappa, however, it was a different story. We were given the opportunity to savour four different varieties ranging from basic distilled grappa to a delicious one made from Chardonnay grapes. Grappa is truly the king of Italian spirits, the country’s equivalent of Scotch whiskey, and, as with whiskey, there are many different varieties based on the way the spirit nectar has been distilled and the years it has aged. Toscani cigars too, have an amazing 23 different varieties.

For me, however, the best experience was to be with excellent company in such a splendid full-moon lit ambience. It was a truly magical dusk of connoisseur tasting and amicable gatherings.

I give full marks to Valerio Ceccarelli who, yet again, has proved to be a most energetic impulse in restoring Bagni di Lucca’s visitor attractions, to Guido Bracci of Bagni’s Enoteca (wine shop), to the providers of the cigars and the grappa and to the rest of the team who turned the grounds of the wonderful villa into ‘some enchanted evening’.

Here is a small selection of photos from last night. As you can see, the rule of no under-eighteens to the event was waived in the case of dogs (and cats).